Goals deep in stoppage time by record signing Declan Rice and Gabriel Jesus earned Arsenal a sensational 3-1 victory over Manchester United in the Premier League yesterday.
It looked as though both sides would have to settle for a point after United had a late goal disallowed and Arsenal had a penalty overturned, but Rice sent the home fans into delirium as he opened his account with a deflected shot in the 96th minute.
Jesus then wrapped it up with a sublime finish after a counter-attack with United having committed everyone forward.
“I think I controlled it with my chin and just had a shot, if you don’t shoot you don’t score,” Rice, who arrived from West Ham United for a fee of around £105 million ($132m), told Sky Sports.
United were left crestfallen especially as they had what they thought was a late winner scored by substitute Alejandro Garnacho ruled out for offside after a VAR video check.
Marcus Rashford gave United the lead against the run of play in the 27th minute, lashing home a shot after a counter-attack, but their joy did not last long though as Martin Odegaard fired Arsenal’s equaliser less than a minute later.
Arsenal were awarded a penalty midway through the second period when Kai Havertz went down in the area but referee Anthony Taylor changed his mind after checking the VAR monitor.
Mikel Arteta’s side have 10 points along with three other clubs after four games, two behind leaders Manchester City.
United are in 11th place on six points after already losing twice.
In other matches yesterday, Liverpool beat Aston Villa 3-0 while Crystal Palace took a 3-2 home victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Dominik Szoboszlai scored his first goal for Liverpool and Mohamed Salah netted his seventh in seven games as the hosts eased to a victory at Anfield.
Juergen Klopp’s side, who have won 10 of their last 12 matches against Villa, climbed to third in the table on 10 points from four games. Villa have six points.
Salah, reportedly a transfer for Saudi Arabian club Al Ittihad, netted goal number 188 of his Liverpool career with a toe poke at the back post in the 55th minute.
Szoboszlai had given Liverpool a dream start with a left-footed half-volley from the edge of the 18-yard box after three minutes. Liverpool doubled their lead when Darwin Nunez’s firm shot hit the post and rebounded into the net off Villa defender Matty Cash.
Meanwhile, French forward Odsonne Edouard struck twice in an action-packed second half to power Palace to a 3-2 win.
After a drab opening 45 minutes, Palace scored the opener in the 56th minute as Tyrick Mitchell raced down the left and played a perfectly-weighted pass across the face of the goal for Edouard to poke home.
Wolves levelled through substitute Hwang Hee-chan’s well-directed header, but Palace scored in the 78th when Eberechi Eze showed great individual skill, controlling a Jean-Philippe Mateta pass with a backheel flick before stabbing a shot past Jose Sa.
The hosts put the contest beyond doubt when Edouard played a one-two with Mateta to breeze through Wolves’ tired defence and tuck away a cool finish, before Matheus Cunha scored a consolation goal for the visitors six minutes into added time.